1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to refuse recycling separation and collection systems for garbage, trash, and the like, and more particularly to a container adapted for mechanical picking up and dumping of separated materials.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
In the past few years, a number of trash pickup trucks and containers have been developed which permit pickup of trash by a trash truck operated by one person. For example, in my U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,175,903 and 5,015,143, I disclose such apparatus and containers especially designed to facilitate the lifting of the container and the dumping of its contents. Similar apparatus has been disclosed in the following U.S. Pat. No. 2,933,210; No. 4,726,726; No. 4,543,028; No. 4,722,658; and No. 4,669,940. In my U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,015,142, 5,015,143, and 5,018,929, I disclose elements of an automated system for collection of separated materials. In recent years, many communities have begun to require separation of garbage and trash into several groups, for example, cans, bottles, and paper. Such materials are required to be carried to curbside in separate containers and manually dumped into trash trucks having separate compartments for each type of separated material. The purpose is to be able to reclaim a large portion of such materials to thus minimize the trash disposal problem as well as to conserve national resources. To comply with these requirements, truck manufacturers have provided multiple compartment trucks. However, each separate container must be picked up and dumped by hand into the appropriate section of the truck.
Prior to my inventions, there was no known systems in which the collection and dumping of the materials from a divided container into separate compartments on the truck could be accomplished mechanically. Prior known collection systems have required two or more persons to expedite pickup. The present invention is a container for separated trash in combination with a pickup arm assembly which will reduce the labor and costs of separating and collecting materials for convenience and encouragement of recycling.